Hospital service register installation



June 29, 1954 C, W. SLOCUM ET AL HOSPITAL SERVICE REGISTER INSTALLATION 4 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1951 KEYBOARD F/a. Z

June 29, 1954 c. w. sLocuM ET AL HOSPITAL SERVICE REGISTER INSTALLATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1951 ITTV.

June 29, 1954 3, w, SLOCUM ET AL 2,682,654

HOSPITAL SERVICE REGISTER INSTALLATION Filed June 5, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Lm Mq. 4.) w04 99 /0 le 27 5g i Z5 f5 I nu b f4; e4

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June 29, 1954 c, w. sLocUM ET AL HOSPITAL SERVICE REGISTER INSTALLATION Filed June 5, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,E .E m Am w@ v .N M ,n :Il s. lll n m mf T .I mz m m5 A ..8 wzueu Im.. mmJ 9:2 S W W e .l m W 1 ,n c NN\ Patented .une 2.9, 195.4

IHOSPITAL SERVICE REGISTER INSTALLATION Charles W. Slocum and Lewis J. Stern, Adrian, Mich., assignors to Sperti Faraday, Inc., Adrian, Mich., a corporation of Ohio Application J une 5, 1951, Serial No. 229,938

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an electrical signalling system. More particularly, it deals with a combined in-and-out register and paging system for persons, such as doctors visiting a hospital or the like, in which the presence of any one oi a plurality of such persons in a region or building may be indicated, one at a time, at a remote point or station, and any one or more of said persons may be paged by operating a control at said remote station.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, efficient, economic and effective in-andout registering and paging system for persons within a given region.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combined in-and-out registering and paging system which saves time, space, wiring, materials, large conduits, contractors installing time.

Another object is to provide such a system in which the registering and paging conditions remain operated until they are positively reset even if the power to the system has been cut-ofi in the meantime.

Another object is to provide such a combined registering and paging system in which a common selecting circuit is employed for indicating the register conditions and for paging the person so selected.

Another object oi this system is to provide a telephone operator in a hospital with information immediately as to whether or not any one of a plurality of doctors is in or out of the hospital, and to place a paging signal for him when he passes the register, either coming-in or going-out, if he is to report for a message which the operator has received for him.

Generally speaking, the system of this invention comprises: (l) an entrance register panel for identification of each person to be registered and paged, which panel contains separate registers for each person with the name, corresponding number, a signal device such as a light, and

a switch for that person to operate into its in or out indicating position according to whether that person is entering ror leaving the building; (2) an operators keyboard at a remote station from said panel to indicate selectively the position of the registering switch for each person on the panel; (3) a power supply and flasher unit for the panel and keyboard signal devices; and (4) the necessary electrical wire connections between the three aforesaid parts of the system.

At the entrancev registering panel the register for each person thereon contains besides the persons name, number, manual register switch and light, a loi-stable relay which may be operated by the operator at the keyboard for causing the light to flash or not-ash for paging the person so that said person will know if there is a message for him or not at the oce for which he must report. The light at the name may be illuminated when the manual switch is operated into its in-position, and may be flashed by the operation of said relay when a message is awaiting that person.

At the keyboard, there are provided a plurality of selecting push button or key switches arranged in digital rows corresponding to the digit of the number of the name of the person to be located or paged, as well as a manual detecting switch to indicate, such as by separate lights, whether that person is in or out; and further separate manual message and reset switches cooperating with the circuits of the selected connection for said person, for causing that persons signal light on the panel to flash or not-ash, if a message is awaiting him or not, respectively.

The panel also comprises selective connection relaysfor connecting any one of the person registers thereon with the keyboard in response to the operation of a selecting numbered push button in each digital row at the keyboard for setting up the number of that person at the keyboard. Each digital row of selecting numbered push buttons or keys at the keyboard may be interconnected, so that only one key in each row can be operated at one time, and each of the keys may operate a pair of separate electrical switches, for controlling the corresponding proper selecting devices of the entrance register panel.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them are given more specic disclosure in the following description of an embodiment of this invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a schematic diagrammatic showing of the general parts of the system of this invention, adapted for a panel having three hundred separate registers for names, arranged with fifty registers in each of six vertical columns, and a keyboard arranged with three rows of numbers according to the digits of the decimal system;

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of the power supply and flasher unit shown in Fig. 1 connectable to Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram of the operators keyboard shown in Fig. l that is connectable to both Figs. 2 and 4; and

Fig. 4 is a Wiring diagram of the lower left corner of the entrance register panel shown in Fig. 1, showing eight separate individual registers and their selecting means and how they are controlled by and connected through the circuit and keyboard of Fig. 3 to the power supply unit of Fig. 2.

I."lh.e4 installation equipment Referring rst to Fig. l, an electrical current source, such as the ordinary domestic 11G-.115.;

volts A. C., may be introduced .intothe system via conductors l and 2 of a cable 3 to the power supply and flasher unit, part or section il. From this section ll an electrical cable 5 made up or a plurality of conductors (herein for A. C.) lmay be connected to a terminal or junction assembly E, and another cable l of agreaternumber of conductors (herein for D. C.) may be connected to another terminal or junction assembly B. From this latter assembly 8 a still greater number of separate ,conductors in a cable 9 may be r -connected to a remote station or operators key- @boards lili. Between the junction assemblies 6 and Buthere may be a further cable il for the l. .selecting-f means connections, and then these connectionsitogether with the power supply conductors in `cable 5 may be connected through a .-.cable i2 from the assembly 6 to an entrance registerpanel I3.

rl`his panel preferably is located at the entrance of the region or building for which .the system is constructed, so that the Ypersons whosenames appear on it may pass it when entering or. leaving the building, to operate A.their respective in-and-out register switches on .the panel. .This panel herein is shown to be ymade up of six columns M of fifty registers, each register being-provided with a separate two position `oi-stable toggle switch I5, for indicating thefin .and lfout condition of the person corresponding lwith that register. also is provided with a separate` signal device, such as an electric light i5, which may be masked 4to shine through a translucent name and/'or `number plate il for the corresponding person on the panel.

Each person on the panel is thusassigned a number, and since herein there are shown to be three hundred names on Ythe panel, there are .correspondingly at the keyboard it three digits. of numbers-and three rows i8; I9 and 2li of numbered keys or push-buttons corresponding to the hundreds, tens and unitsv digits of these numbers,

respectively This keyboard l is controlled by ran operator` at a remote station irom the panel Y I3, such as at-theutelephone operators switchboard intheroce of the building having this system. Each row of buttons may thus be provided with ten lnumbers from O to 9 for each of the digits oi the numbers of the persons and each person is provided with a three digit nurnber, in which the 0 button may be pressed for i those persons having numbers which are less than three digits. For example, the number 7 .would be set-up on the keyboard as 007 in order f to make the complete selecting connection as ualv switches-.which only remain closed as long as they are pressed, pushed orlheldclosed. The

' .rst one of these three additional switches is a Each register :i

y person to flash when that persons register switch .-2. he was` paged` to receive.

l5 is in its in-position, and the other or reset switch 23 or R. is for stopping the paging signal so the-light iB Will not ilash, such as after the person has reported to receive the message which The position of the in-and-out or register switch I5 for any selected person on the panel may be indicated at the keyboard i by means of separate in and out lights 24 and 25, respectively, mounted on the keyboard.

II. The power supply Referring to Fig. 2, the wiring diagram of the power supply unit or section 4 is shown to pro- Yduce, two types of current for the system: alternating current which isv conducted through the system over the heavier lines in Figs. .Z,` 3 and Il for supplying the signal current for operatingthe electric lights in the system; and direct currents which may be of diierent voltages which are conducted through the lighter lines in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 for operating the selecting means cornprisingfdiiierent types of relays.

' The alternating current supply for the' system introduced through conductors i and 2, a main manual double pole switch 3B and fuses 3l, is preferably transformed in a transformer 32 to a lower Voltage alternating current, such as about l2 volts, so that standard smaller lights may be used in the System to conserve spaceandlpower. This loWer alternating current is conducted directly to the other sections or parts ofthe system through conductors 33 and 3G from the two output terminals of the transformen 32.

,Connected'across these conductors 33 and 34 in the power supply unit l is a flasher unit (see the upper left corner of Fig. 2). Thisy flasher unit may comprise a mechanical interrupter driven by a small standard A. C. motor 4Q, which motor may be connected directly to the l10 l5 volts source of conductors l and 2 through conductors lll and 42 andanother pair of fuses 13, andmay comprise a rotating toothed cam is driven by the motor d,- which .cooperates with a spring appliedcam follower. 45 coupled to one of a pair of interrupter-.contacts E6, which are repeatedly opened and closed at a regular rate to apply intermittent current to one or more (depending upon the load) parallelly` connected alternating current relays il and i8 between the conductors 33 andrai in series. .with interrupter contacts 46. Contacts 5l and 52 of the relays il and. 38, respectively, are connected in parallel with a dashing current supply conductor 53 which extends from the power supply unit il of Fig. 2 directly to the panel circuit of Fig. 4 for producing the flashing signal for the lights i6 on the panel. Forthe purpose of identication, the interrupted or flashing alternatingcurrent conductors rare shown in the drawings as being a` thin continuous line with heavier dashes thereon.

The Vother andadirect current supply `for-the :.systemmay be obtained from a full wave. vrectikput terminals of another transformer `62.

iier bridge circuit 60, the alternating current ing current leads I and 2 through manual switch 30. This transformer 62 may only reduce the voltage to about 60 volts, or to the maximum voltage to be employed for the different selecting means and relays in the panel circuit of Fig. 4.

The output terminals 63 and 64 of the rectier 6l), herein shown to be positive and negative, respectively, may be connected across a condenser 65 to take out the ripples in the rectified current. Also across the output terminals B3 and 64 and parallel with the condenser 65 may be provided a potentiometer which may be composed of two equal resistors 'I8 and 'II in series (of say 500 ohms), with separate variable taps 'I2 and I3 to each, positive in potential with respect to a negative end connection 'I4 connected to rectifier negative terminal 64, and which taps 12 and 'I3 supply different voltages for operating special relays in the selective circuit means. Connected to the positive terminal 63 of the rectifier 68, is a variable voltage dropping resistance 'I5 ha-ving a tap 'I6 as a further source -of reduced direct current for other and standard type relays in the selecting circuit on panel I3 to be connected through the keyboard I8. The connections and taps 13, 'I4 a-nd 'I6 are connected to conductors of corresponding reference characters, and all extend directly to the circuit of the keyboard III shown in Fig. 3. The tap 'I2 of the lowest voltage, however, has in series with its corresponding conductor 'I2 a very sensitive low current direct current relay 8|), the contacts 8| of which operate to illuminate the signal lights 24 and 25 (Figs. l, 3) in the keyboard Ill, through corresponding conductors 84 and 85 which extend to said lights.

In the power supply unit 4, there may be also provided a separate condenser 90 in series with a variable current limiting resistor 9| connected across conductors 93 and 94 which extend to the current reversing or reset switch R or 23 on the keyboard I0 (see Fig. 3) for causing a reverse polarity direct current surge from the condenser to be passed to a selected one of the relays of i the panel circuit to release the iiashing signal connection therefor as will be described in more detail later.

III. The selecting and regiscring circuits Referring now more specifically to Figs. 3 and 4, there are provided in Fig. 3 three rows I8, I9 and 28, of push-buttons or keys, corresponding to the ten numbers in each of the three digits of the three hundred'different registers corresponding to the person to be selected and paged according to the present system and provided for on the panel I3. However, since only three numbers of the hundreds digit need be employed, the push-buttons 3 through 9 in row I8 have not been shown to be connected in the present disclosure, but may be provided on the keyboard Ill for further extension of the system if and whenv desired.

In the panel, the selecting means comprises relays; one hundreds relay Ho, H1, and H2 for each hundreds digit with relay H0 being the only hundreds digit relay shown in Fig, 4; one tens relay T for each tens digit in each hundred,

namely thirty tens relays Too- 9, T10-9 and T20-9;

and ten units relays U for each tens digit relay, namely three hundred units relays U0n through U299. Each of the hundreds digit relays H and each of the tens digit relays T are provided with ten separate contacts, see relays Ho, T04 and T09 shown in Fig. 4; or if more practical, a pair of parallel five contact relays may be provided for each of these ten contact relays. These hundreds and tens relays may be standard relay equipment and may be operated by 48 volts taken be- Ytween conductors I8 and I4 to the potentiom- T1048, U049, Uogs, U097, U9s and U099 are Shown in Fig. 4 there being one for each register for each person provided for on the entrance panel I3.

Thus, if for example and for explaining the operation of the selecting means, the person or doctor having the number 49 or herein 049 is to be selected, to determine if he is in or out, or if he is to be paged, the operator at the keyboard IIJ performs the following selection operations: The number corresponding to this person may be determined from a quick index of the names and corresponding numbers of each person on the panel I3, which index may be provided in a card file or on a sheet next to the operator` at the keyboard. Once the number 049 is determined, the operator then presses the push-button 0 in row I8, the push-button 4 in row I9, and the push-button 9 in row 28 on the keyboard I0.

The pressing of the push-button 0 in row IS energizes the hundreds digit relay H0 in Fig. 4 through a circuit from positive terminal 63, tap and conductor 'I6 through contact 99 of pushbutton 0 in row I8, conductor |88, hundreds relay H0, conductors IIlI and |82 to the common negative conductor 'I4 (Figs. 3, 2). The pressing of push-.button 4 in the tens digit row I9, energizes the tens digit relay T04 in Fig. 4 through a circuit from positive terminal 63, tap and conductor 16,.push-button 4 in row I9, conductor |04, contact |05 of relay H0, conductor |86, relay T04, conductors III'I, |88 and |02 to common negative conductor 14. The pressing of push-button 9 in the units digit row 20, however, does not yet energize the corresponding units relay UMS in the panel I3, but it does prepare a circuit for its operation when either the message switch 22 or the reset switch 23 on the keyboard I0 is operated.

If it is to be determined whether the person corresponding to number "049 is in or out, that is, if he has operated his resister switch I5 mounted onthe panel I3, then only detecting switch 2| is operated by the operator at the keyboard I0. The pressing now of self-release switch 2| completes a circuit to energize the in-and-out indicating relay 88 (see Fig. 2) through the coil of the units relay U049 if the person is out, and not to energize this relay 30 if the person corresponding to number 049 is in, as well as also completing a circuit to light the corresponding light 24 or 25 on the keyboard I0. The light 24 or 25 only remains lighted as long as the switch 2| is maintained pressed.

If the manual register switch I 5 for the person 049 is in its out position, that is the position shown inFig. 4, .the operation of the detecting acs-2,1354

:f7 .switch 2 1 ,i to. Aenergize f;v the ini-.and-out relay 80 is as follows; A lowpositive potentialfrom tap and conductor '12 of potentiometer resistorl is passed through in-and-outindicatingy relay .80, conductor 110, contact.. 111 of switch.21, conductor 112, contacts-113 0f.pushbutton 9 in row 20, conductor 1 14 to the panel 13, conductors 115 and 11B -to the register corresponding to person 049, contact 111 of switch.. 15 shunting the 1000 ohmresistance ..118, conductor. 119, through the 1000 ohm coil of the units digit bistable or polarized relay U4s without operating its armature 120, conductor 121, contact 122 or" tens digit relay. T04, conductors.. 1111, 1118,102

and'M to the negative terminal 14 of the poteni tiometer '10 and negative terminal 64.`of rectifier 60. Theenergization` of relay. 80,0perates its contacts 81 -so that outflight-ZA onthe keyboard lights through a circuit from one terminal of the transformer 32, conductor 33, front contact 81, conductorll, .out AlightZli,` conductor 130, contact 131 of detecting switch 21, conductor 132, contacts 133 of push-button 0 in row 18, conductor 134, contacts.l35 of push-button 4 in row 19, conductor 136, contacts. 131 of. pushbutton 9 in row 20, conductors '138, and34 to the other terminal of the .transformer 32.

If the person 049? is .in or has operatedk his corresponding register switch 15 (49) into its in-position, a circuit is completed to illuminate his .corresponding register lightl 16 from one terminal of transformer 32, conductors33`, 143 and 144, backcontact of armature 120, contact 145 of switch 15, light 16, and conductors 146,

1471 and 34 to theother terminal of the transformer 32. This Ylight 16 indicates to any one .passing the entrance panel 13, that the person corresponding to register 049 is in In such a case, however, the resistance 1118 in the register circuit on the panel is not now'shunted by the contact 111 of the manual registering switch 15, and there is not now suicient current in the above traced circuit for even operating the sensitive relay 80 when the detecting switch 21 is operated, so that the armature of relay'iiiidoes not close its front contact 81 but remains against Vits back contact as shown in Fig. 2.y Now, when this condition exists, that is when the person 049 is in, the operation of'detecting switch 21 illuminates or energizes the in light 25 through the following circuit from one terminal ing switch 21, conductor 132, contacts 133, conductor 134, contacts 135, conductor 135, vcontacts 13'1, and conductors 138 and 34 to the other terminal of the transformer-32.

IH. The pagingrcicuit If the selected person is .in,? that is-he has operated his corresponding register .switch 115 to its in-position,.and said person is lwanted to -report to the` operator atthel keyboard for a message, the operatory then presses .themessage switch'M or22f on the keyboard 10 which ilashes vthe light 13 corresponding-.to saidpersong'asince his light 16 is already illuminated due to the fact that he is inl This flashingiscausedby the energization of his"units.digit'relay U49 by by i passingor shunting outZ-theisin-and-out indicating relay 80 'from thefcircuit now .containing both the resistance 118 and units digit relayf'coilfUMg r by operating switch22 even 'onlyiinstantaneously MThe circuit for l' this.; energizationa -1 of the iiunits L #digit irelayr T1049.: is.:as ffc1lows: Positive-fi potential l from the tap- '13: of the potentiometerf` 11k-'Hf is .passed to the keyboard 10, throughconductor 151), front contact 151 of messageswitch- 22, conductorr152, `back contact. 153 of detecting .switch 21,; conductor. I 12, contacts- 113. of :push-button 9..inrow.20,conductors 114, 115 and-116,.re-

-sistance 118,.conductor 119, relay UMa-conductor .them insaid position so that the vother switches f and. selecting .push-buttons of the keyboard may bev released. and .reset for other. regis- .ter numbers, .detections and operations without thereafter.- aiecting the vposition of` said units vdigit relay T1049. J Thisisalso true evenA if-the power supply.- fails, the setting of .the units relays `will remain unchanged during the time the power is .off and after it is tur-ned on again, .and until their position is .positivelychanged bythe opera- Vtionof the release or reset manual switch 23 on the keyboardY lby the operator.

The flashing ofthe light 16 on the .panel corresponding to the paged-person numbered 049, is effectedl by connecting one terminal of the'light -11i to the interrupter current from one terminal of transformer 132, through conductor'33, interrupter contactsl and', conductors53, '160 and 161, front contact of armature120, contacts 45 of manual switch 15, light 16, conductorsV 1116, Ml and`34 to the-other terminal ofthe transformer 32.

The flashing of the light' 16 continues until the person 049 .operates his register switch 15 to turn off .the .light'15 entirely, but when switch 15 is turned on-again its in-p'ositionthe light will immediately .start to 'iiash again;A or until the operator at' the .keyboard operates the release or reset button`23 to'apply an equal vand opposite surge of potential to the units digit'relay T5049 from .that potential:employed -in energizing it to move its armaturel .into the position not up his corresponding selecting push-buttons in rows 18,19 and`20 on the keyboard'l, and then Apushing or. operating the release'or reset switch R or 23 to deenergize his units relay which had pre- Viously been energized by the message switch M orf22.

If the Aperson 049 is out and is to be paged when he enters the Lbuilding the message' switch M or `22 can 'be'operatedt to energize his units .digit relay Uoig'thesame as before, so that when the person v049 does. operate his' register switch '15 his 'signal light 1B will immediately start to L hash to tell 'him that a message is awaiting .au i.

him.

Normally and'during'the timel that the reset .-1 switch `23 is not; operated, a circuit is maintained from the positive terminal '13 of I.the potenti- .and. terminal '14 to maintain a charge on the condenser-911, so that conductor 93 is at a posi- .tive potential and conductor 94-is at a negative potential.

, Now `when the reset swtchz, is, operated,` even instantaneously, by the operator at the keyboard when the keyboard is set for a selected register to connect with its corresponding units digit relay U, a reversal of the normal direct current for energizing said units digit relay U is applied to it, namely for the units digit relay U49 as follows: Positive potential from conductor 93 from one terminal of condenser 90 through front contact |14 of reset switch 23, conductors |'|2, |02, |08 and |01, contacts |22 of tens digit relay T04, conductor |2l, units digit relay U049, conductor H9, contacts or resistance H8, conductors H6, ||5 and H4, contacts ||3 of push-button 9 in row 20, conductor ||2, contacts |53 of detecting switch 2|, conductor |52, contacts |5| of message switch 22, conductor |15, front contact il@ of reset switch I23, conductor 94 and resistance 9|, to negative terminal of the condenser 90. The normally maintained charge on the condenser 90 thus is discharged through the units relay U49 to deenergize it and cause it to kick its armature |20, aided by the action of spring |4l, back into its deenergized position as shown in Fig. 4. This disconnects the flashing current to the light |6 at the panel register and the light then burns continuously until the register switch l5 is moved to its out-position as shown in Fig. 4, if it is not already in said position.

Instead of the spring |4| for making the units digit relays U bi-stable, these relays U may be polarized or have special cores which have the desired degree of residual magnetism. The taps on the variable resistances 10, 1| and 9| may be adjusted according to the sensitivity of the units digit relays and the in and out indicating relay 80, to effect the above described operations.

Accordingly, the system of this invention enables a person in such an in-and-out registering and paging system to be both registered and paged over the connections and conductors of the selecting circuit for that persons register at a remote station, thereby materially reducing the number of wires and conductors required.

While there is described above the principles of this invention in connection with specic apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined in-and-out register and paging system, comprising: a register panel having a separate register for each person to be paged, each register comprising a signal light and a circuit including a manually operated switch having in-and-out positions for energizing and deenergizing said light, selective means at said panel for individually selecting one of said registers responsive to a plural digit number transmitted thereto, a keyboard remote from said panel having means thereon for transmitting plural digit numbers one at a time to said selective means for connecting a corresponding one of said registers to said keyboard, an in-and-out indicating means at said keyboard, circuit means including a detecting switch at said keyboard for operating said indicating means corresponding to the position of said manually operated switch ci the connected selected register, other circuit means including a paging switch and said selective means connections for causing said signal light to ash when said manual switch is at its in-position, and further circuit means including a releasing switch and said selective means connections to prevent said signal light from flashing when said manual switch is at its in-position.

2. A system according to claim l including a direct current source wherein said selective means includes loi-stable relays for each register and means for energizing said relays by passing a direct current from said source through said relays in one direction.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein said further circuit means includes a condenser for discharging current through said relays in an opposite direction to that employed for energizing said relay to release said relays.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,308,958 McFell July 8, 1919 1,927,362 Ekman Sept. 19, 1933 2,345,825 Miller Apr. 4, 1944 2,412,516 Kavanagh Dec. 10, 1946 2,446,643 Farmer Aug. 10, 1948 2,496,629 Lamberty et al. Feb. '7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 335,198 Great Britain Sept. 19, 1930 

